Swiss vote for public media

Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal that would have cut taxpayer funding to public broadcasters, after a campaign that stirred debate about the media’s role in fostering national unity. The “No Billag” initiative — a reference to the Billag firm that collects the media licensing fee — divided Switzerland on political and generational lines. Rejection of the initiative was “a strong sign for the public service and for private regional radio and television,” said the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SSR) director Gilles Marchand.